How to be a SUCCESS on Poshmark

Everyone wants to know how to be a SUCCESS on Poshmark.

You may have read articles about Poshmark sellers achieving success by making five… six… SEVEN FIGURES (!!!) from their closets. Some will read these news articles and take it as motivation and some will immediately assume personal defeat.

After hearing about these “super closets”, have you found yourself thinking about the pair of knee socks you just sold (and the $2.05 profit…) then calculated exactly how many pairs you will have to sell to make six figures?

What am I doing wrong???

Nothing.

Success on Poshmark doesn’t always mean that you are beating everyone else at the game. You have to define what “being successful” means to you, how you are going to measure your personal success, and FIRST figuring out what the hell are you even trying to achieve.

Every Poshmark Closet is NOT the same… quite honestly, you really can’t compare most of them. They are each individual businesses with their own unique niche.

Let me explain it this way…

Louis Vuitton isn’t competing with Walmart.

Burger King isn’t concerned with the Olive Garden.

Duane Reade isn’t modeling their business plan after Starbucks.

Each of the mentioned retailers is extremely successful in their own right… but it would be unfair to hold them to the standard of a completely different type of business.

Can you answer these questions?

WHO AM I?

Before you can even being to determine your success, your first order of business is figuring out WHO YOU ARE.

Let’s take my closet for instance…

I do not concern myself with Retail/Boutique closets. My life’s goal is not to eventually open up a brick and mortar store and sell clothing. I would not be happy as a boutique owner. I LOVE being at my computer and interacting online. I LOVE going out in the world and searching for different and unique (soft and cuddly) clothes to list in my closet. In the meantime, I am finding things for myself and because of this my “real” closet is always changing as I replace and list pieces! I do not want to sell multiples of the same item.

If I sat here and compared my closet to a retail boutique closet- I might get discouraged. Actually, I know I would.

Also, I am not what I would call a “garage sale closet”… you know, the one that lists every thing they can find- any style/brand- any condition and takes a quick picture and prices it for an immediate sell. YES, they sell in circles around me. But, I LOVE styling my pieces, I LOVE taking fun pictures, I don’t think I would have to patience to ship out 27 sales in a day, everyday. I get overwhelmed just thinking about it. (Keep your eyes on these types of closets, you can find some amazing deals.)

WHAT is my goal?

After you determine what you are doing, decide what your ultimate goal!

Are you paying off a student loan? Saving for a vacation? Using your money to re-vamp your real closet (selling to buy)?

Maybe you actually are just selling the 20 items you have that you don’t wear and then closing up shop.

My goal:

Curate a fun closet, with pieces that reflect my style and personality.

Be active in the community and make a network of friends.

Have fun blogging about it.

Make side money while I pursue my main life goal.that’s a story for another day…

HOW do I determine my success?

If you are making strides towards your goal then YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL.

My standard of success is doing better than the year before…

I keep records. My PFFs laugh at me when I bust out an obscure closet statistic. I have been selling on Poshmark for 2 years now and I have kept records of daily and monthly sales, also other factors that have impacted my sales. So I compare myself… TO MYSELF. I am getting smarter by learning what works for me and what doesn’t. I am discovering what sales tactics have the most impact.

My sole competition is ME.

Once you stop comparing your Starbucks closet to the Olive Gardens out there- you can focus on what’s really REAL… who you are and what you are trying to accomplish. There are a million (literally) closets selling on Poshmark and enough customers out there to go around.

Focus on what you are doing and on your customer base and you might just find that you already are a success!

Tell me about your goals and what makes YOU successful in the comments below!

XOXO

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Love this! I definitely have come to a point where I know what I want for my closet and hold myself to my own standard. When I’m off my game I know! …but it has something to do with anyone else’s success. I like my closet to have a certain feel/vibe and I like to have a variety available without messing with its cohesiveness. I’ve been busy with other aspects of life the past couple weeks and when I’m sharing my closet I can tell it isn’t up to par right now, but that’s only because it doesn’t line up with my own goals. As far as monetary goals, I strive to pay certain bills/expenses with my posh profits. If I’m doing what needs to be done and bills are getting paid, I call that a success! Great thoughts, Elle.

Love this post! I myself am in competition with myself. I would never want to have a boutique closet (even though I shop them from time to time). I generally sell to buy and re-vamp my closet. If you would, please share how you keep up with your sales, I’d like to do that as well. The only thing I’ve kept up with on a monthly basis is how many followers I accumulate.

Great post! Thank you! In line with what Raquel was saying, it does get frustrating when you continue to accumulate followers but sales lag. I feel as if my prices are competitive and reasonable. Perhaps I just haven’t found my customer base?

Hi Julie! I think you hit the nail on the head with “customer base.” Follower #’s can be VERY deceiving. Most people follow closets to gain followers themselves… think about who you follow- how many of those closets do you shop or plan to shop? I currently have over 290k followers and not even half of a percent have shopped 🙂 Keep doing what you are doing and the sales will come… repeat customers can REALLY boost your sales! What is your closet name? I would love to share…

I love your writing style! I read all your blogs.
I’m like you in that I love finding clothing that I love, something unique for my buyers. I like packaging the sale in pretty wrapping. I’m not trying to make a million, just have fun!

Elle, thanks so much for writing this blog. I look forward to every one of yours 😀 This post has me thinking of what you said about only competing with ourselves; sooo true! I’ve been on Posh since 8/13 but didn’t have a closet up until 8-9 mos. later due to other things going on at the time. Fast forward to the present and I’ve been happy with my personal success on PM. We’re all aware of the big retail closets but they don’t affect me one way or the other. On occasion I’ll shop theirs & vice versa. My projected monthly income is on par with the amount of time I put into it and hubby loves that extra $$$s come in monthly. Whether it’s to help pay some basic bills or tone used for “fun” is the goal for me, so it’s all relative. For 5 yrs. we did own a brick & mortar store selling high dollar custom home furnishings and that was a real learning experience with over 2500 SKUs, payroll, rent, operating expenses, etc. Posh is like heaven compared to the store, LOL! Thanks again for your insight.. Btw, I’m
@lakeforest. Happy Poshing & have s great day😀

Oooh, I can’t wait to see your record keeping! I love data!!
Success to me is that by selling on Poshmark, I feel like I am sending my loved items to a new home! Things I never wore, but couldn’t bear to part with, are going to someone new who will love them like I once did!! So I am finally cleaning out and downsizing my wardrobe and feeling happy about it, rather than sad.

I agree that @junkdrawer your closet is cute! Very clean and pleasing to the eye when browsing. I want some more of that look for mine. I get a boost of sales on the weekends, but this week is pretty slow. I think last Monday I had shipped out 12 packages from the weekend and I mailed out today 3 things from this week so far. I think I’m going to keep track of each username who shopped my closet and go back to their page and share their items so they’ll come back to mine to share back…then they’ll see all the new stuff I have… #boom. #tactics lol. Love the articles! Keep them coming! If you ever want any co-writers, I’ve been coming up with more ideas. Maybe a tactics post? 😋 @julesjax. (Julia Jackson) from Nashville

My only complaint is …I need more gray asparagus! 😃
I have read other posh related blogs, and no one compares with your style! Not only is your writing cohesive, it’s entertaining with the perfect amount of sarcasm and education, and it’s blunt without being offensive in any way.

I will say in regards to my own closet- my only real rule for myself is to never use stock photos, filters and keep the photo focus on the item for sale. Posh started as a way for me to clean my closet and grab some new awesome things, but it’s evolved into far more. I love being able to contribute to my household and still stay home with our kids.
And to the above comment, likewise, last week was blockbuster! This week I’ve had 4 total sales…ebb and flow (and spring break!)
Stay calm and read gray asparagus 😉

I love this post…and all of your posts. Huuuuuge fan.
I agree with you. Its so easy to get discouraged, when you see high end closets and realize it will take a month of your sales to cover one of their items.:)
I love finding treasures and I love them to be in my style. My closet is a reflection of my style and I get to express myself again by taking pictures. I love interaction as well and I LOVE the sense of owning a tiny business of my own.:) Money is secondary to me and a bonus. If I had to depend on the money I make on Poshmark, I would be super stressed out, which would take away all the fun.
But I loved paying for my family vacation in June solely with Poshmark money. That felt very very good.:) And that is definition of MY success.:) @nythrift

Elle, I love this topic and your viewpoint most particularly! What you’ve articulated so very well here isn’t easy to explain: Posh success should be measured individually. I’m a Posh hobbyist. This is my 4th money making hobby and I’m very passionate about it. I sell to buy things, wear them, flip & repeat. So far, Posh is working for me just as being a seamstress, a ceramicist and a nail tech did in the past. Never wanted a retail businesss nor dreamt of a brick & mortar retail endeavour. I feel successful as long as it’s fun. It’s fun as long as I get to interact with people I’d otherwise never get to meet, it’s financially self sustaining (I can only use money made by my business to keep my business going, EVER) and the items I acquire cannot be needs, only wants. This is my niche; it’s a great fit for me. It’s difficult when people decide I don’t ‘need’ to be competitive or I don’t ‘deserve’ success because I don’t pay my carnote or utilities with my earnings. I work hard and delight in watching women turn Poshing into viable careers. However, I agree: competition is with self. The more Poshinistas incorporate this concept into our thinking, the more Poshinistas will see themselves a successful and understand success is valuable and very possible for those who think differently.

Hi Elle! Very inspiring post! I have a question I’ve always wanted to ask someone. For the people who don’t sell retail clothing, where do they find all their items? I see lots of poshers who have tons of listings but they aren’t retail. My goal is to one day make poshing my full time job and right now I’m struggling to keep a full inventory. I’ve tried selling a couple retail items, but they just don’t sell like my used items do. So what’s the trick to keeping a full list of new inventory, without selling retail, and still coming out ahead money wise?

Hi Hannah! There are so many ways to do this and it depends on how much you want to invest and your style of closet. Some people will search clearance racks and buy low to sell high, some search consignment, others sell retail. There are some Posher’s who act as consignors and will sell clothes for friends and family while keeping a percentage. Buying wholesale is much trickier and not as easy as it looks. It takes time to find a great quality product that you believe it and styles that will sell. A ton of Posher’s are actually selling their own clothes and do in fact have an endless supply! Hope that helps!

Loved your post and perspective on success! I was just wondering, do you believe it is ok to list items under a different brand for visibility? Or does that hinder success and ability to become a Host Pick or Suggested User?

Hi Raven! This is a great question, I think that the culture is different on some selling sites that utilize “tagging” in their listings. However, on Poshmark it is against the rules and definitely will hinder and postpone becoming an SU or Host (as does all non-compliance). As a buyer (and I speak from experience) it is VERY disappointing to shop by brand (Free People as an example) and find something cute at a great price and then notice in the listing “This is F21 but listed as Free People for visibility.” As a seller you are misrepresenting the item and open yourself up to LOTS of issues- a seller can claim misrepresentation and might have a solid case to be able to return the item. Not everyone thoroughly reads listings in their excitement to purchase. An honest and reputable seller will always want their customers to be well informed and their items to be well represented. Hope that helps!

Ever since I was a kid and my parents gave me the role of “gift wrapper” every Christmas, siblings’ birthdays, and so on and so forth, I’ve grown to love the art of giving. I know it sounds cliche, but I just get excited thinking about how much the receiver will love my item, which is usually paired with a few free customer- tailored GWP items! Yup! I check out their style by perusing their closet and go through my “GWP” bin! I’ve got samples, accessories, gift bags and home-made confetti (with the help of our schools’ copy machines), all ready for each new sale! What really gives me inner serenity about the entire process is that we are all recycling, rather than giving in to the culture of “THE NEW” consumption!!! ♻️♻️♻️

First let me say, your blog is awesome. You have really given me some real things to think about. You’re absolutely right! I am my own competition and I have to decide what I want my closet to represent. I’ve been focused on followers, but more followers doesn’t mean more sales. I have to have followers that my closet appeals to. My closet should represent my style, and love for fashion. I don’t want to compare myself to other boutiques and that’s what I’ve been doing. I also have not been keeping track of my sales so I would love to know how you track yours and what’s the best method to use. I am also a fan of paper and I’m going to write down my inventory and take control of my closet today! Thank you so much for your insight and for sharing your knowledge. You have a writing gift and I look forward to reading more of your blog. You have truly helped me. My Posh Closet is @dritty! Thank you again!

It helped me tremendously. I immediately sat down and went through my inventory and checked my stats. I saw what works for my store and what doesn’t. I also figured out how I can accumulate more sales. Hopefully I’m on my way to a more organized business , thanks to you!

I just had to let you know that after reading your post on tracking your sales and how to be successful on Poshmark, I or rather you helped my sales sky rocket! Within one week of prioritizing, sales went through the roof. I know I will have slow days and fast days but the increase has been amazing. I know many will want to know what I did, and the answer is I read and I listened. I did the old school method of accounting to track my sales and inventory thus far. Then I asked myself “what do I consider being successful?”. Like you said this is very important. I had to decide what I wanted my closet to represent and understand that I am only competing with me. I did some revamping to my closet and changed the style to match my own. Now, every time I look at my closet, I’m happy, and guess what? That makes me successful! I stock according to my style and those are the followers I want to attract. Customers who like my style and want to visit my closet. I made many mistakes with stock the first time around. I ordered things that I wouldn’t wear or that I found repulsive! That’s all changed. I’m also not a Nordstroms (high end) boutique. I’m more like a Marshalls. Good items for less. I’m always looking for a bargain or a deal and I’m sure many of my customers are too! They can find that it my store. I just order inventory again for next month and I plan to increase my sales but I wanted you to know what a huge role you have played in helping me lay the foundation of my closet. Discovering who I am, what I wanted my closet to represent, and what is success to me , I was able to turn things around. Lastly for anyone who also needs help with sales and success, networking is very important. I share a lot. Sometimes my fingers are tired but you have to network and work hard if you want to be successful! It won’t fall in your lap. Once again thank you for your absolute priceless advice.

Love this! Poshing is my hobby and supports my love of thrifting. I love finding undiscovered treasures and now can buy them even when they’re not in my size and pass them on to other people who love the same things I do. And I get to make a little money on the side. How great is that?

Great blog my dear. 🙂 I agree I love what you guys have said! I like to find things whether it be a piece of clothing in great condition in my closet a home or out at a resale shop and putting it out there to sell. I love taking pictures of the item and modeling it because I love my items! I see so many closets selling soooo much and buying the boutique method, but I love finding the cool finds at stores and selling it!!! Don’t get me wrong I’d love to find some cool wholesale items to sell but I heard the pricing on Poshmark is pretty high if I could find a vendor online I might try it and add it with my thrifting items. I do know I have to come up with a better accounting or spreadsheet of how I’m doing. One of the ladies on Poshmark came up with a workbook to use on a computer but I’ve googled things to find something to use on my phone- an app and can’t find nothing, if you guys have any suggestions let me know. I would just like to put in the amount I paid for it in some kind of app spreadsheet …how much I sold it for and a way to check off that it’s sold and I no longer have it and keep a total for my profit! Haaa seems so easy right?? Thank you so much for the article I just want to let you know I love your closet Elle and I follow you on IG. 🙂

I’m Robynstank on Poshmark and Robynonposh on IG.

Funny story when I first started on PM I used my first name and part of my last I didn’t know I could change my name in the very beginning by emailing PM but I started in 2013 and I do not want to change my name now because people know me. Haaaaa.

Hi Robyn! With how much I love reports and stat tracking, it may surprise some that I do not use a spread sheet for pricing and sales. I made my own spreadsheet a couple of years ago (pretty easy to do/customize to what you want to track) and I found that it sucked the life out of me. I hated it. I did not find it to be helpful for how I run my closet and I did not keep up with it. For some people who sell wholesale or buy clearance rack merchandise (and return what doesn’t sell) I could see the extreme need for that type of documentation to stay organized. I just do not have the need for how I run my closet. I wish I had an app to recommend! If you find one please let me know! XOXO

I know our intentions are good to keep up with everything just to see how we do …but we all have a busy life outside of Poshmark. I really really love your pictures in your closet. Always trying to find new apps to make my pictures look good. It’s funny I’m always putting out the apps I use when people ask what I ask people are very secretive…but do you use any specific apps? I love Retouch, ABM, InstaSize … love Photo editor-!!! The retouch one is really cool because if there something in your picture that you don’t want there you can remove it !!

Hey Robyn! I actually use zero photo apps for my Posh pictures (thank you for the sweet compliment!). I use natural lighting- I describe it all in this post http://thegrayasparagus.com/elles-guide-natural-lighting/ . Te main reason I don’t use apps is because I don’t have the time or energy to adjust the photos. Flat lays can look amazing- but too much work 🙂 If I am adding text to a picture or am making a sale listing etc. I use Rhonna. If I were to use a photo app, I would use VSCO, but I no longer have it on my phone.

Love this post. I’ve been selling for a little over a month and am pretty much just selling some of the things I don’t wear to buy things I will. To re-vamp my closet! I like the idea of defining my own vision on success. I’ve definitely spent more than I’ve made, but started as a buyer then decided to list items. Great blog!

I love this blog post because it’s a great example of retail arbitrage. I think it’s a great idea to purchase items at low retail prices and then reselling them for a profit. I had not thought about trying this with Nordstrom Rack, but thanks to you, I’ll now be giving it a try!

Hi There,
Love your blog. The info you provide is so helpful to a newer user on Poshmark. I’ve been hearing and seeing other posts about Posh Smart Pots or Follow Bots and I wanted to know if you can talk more about them. I don’t fully understand what they are. I recently received an email asking if I wanted to do a free trial. Needless to say I did not open the email because I thought it was scam. Thank you in advance for any info on these smart bots! Be well.

Hi Linda! I used to have several posts about them but have them removed for now bc I didn’t want it to inadvertently promote “boys”. Running software on Poshmark (automated sharing/following) is not allowed. Not sure if the rules will change in the future. Hope that helps

Hi Elle, I love this post. I’ve been on Poshmark for three months and am totally addicted! I do agree with you that I too would not want to have a boutique because I like the idea of selling something from my closet new or gently worn and styling the postings. However I do wish I was selling more items more often as it’s discouraging when you go a week without selling anything. Your post does put things into perspective that I should measure my success based on what my goals are and not based on what others have accomplished in during the same time frame they’ve been on Poshmark. Thanks!

Love this post! I sell mostly on consignment with a tiny bit of thrift thrown in. But, honestly, I don’t like going to most thrift stores and digging through piles of cheap clothing to find the needle in the haystack. Though I have great respect for those that do (and some are really killing it!), it just isn’t my thing. Thanks for reminding me that knowing what you don’t like is as important as knowing what you do!